Sporting Lisbon Blow 3-1 Lead to Lose 4-5 in a Thriller

How is nobody talking about this game?? This game was complete insanity. I can't believe Sporting blew their lead like that.

It also further proves my point Europa League needs to be merged into Champions League to create one tournament.  

This game was the perfect example of why you watch the game. But since the game was in the B-League tournament of Europe, nobody gives a damn.

I’m lucky I even found out about it to be honest.  I was just casually looking at the scores on my phone and saw Sporting lost to Istanbul Basaksehir and thought wtf? How did that even happen? And then I see they lost 1-4 and 4-5 on aggregate and figured this game was bananas so I had to watch the highlights.

And man, did they not disappoint. Check these out:

I feel like being a Sporting fan is somewhere along the lines of being a Met/Jets fan but like 100 times worse.  At least those guys have another sport to watch. They probably even watch basketball or at least some other sport so they’re preoccupied with a couple other teams to root for.

But we all know in Europe, soccer is life. If your team constantly disappoints, you’re in full depression mode for the foreseeable future.  And nothing makes you want to murder someone more than these results:

Primera Divisao Finishes by Year since 2002:

2002: 3rd

2003: 3rd

2004: 3rd

2005: 2nd

2006: 2nd

2007: 2nd

2008: 2nd

2009: 4th

2010: 3rd

2011: 4th

2012: 7th

2013: 2nd

2014: 3rd

2015: 2nd

2016: 3rd

2017: 3rd

2018: 3rd

And they've also had these guys on the squad in no particular order:

-Bruno Fernandes

-Luis Figo

-Ricardo Quaresma

-Nani

-Marcos Rojo

-Cristiano Ronaldo

-Rui Patricio

-Miguel Veloso

-Joao Moutinho

Unreal.

And meanwhile Porto and Benfica are rotating, taking turns who gets to be league champions. This is worse than finishing mid table in my opinion. Like look at me, Napoli at one point was in the second half of the Serie A table this year.  At least I know there’s no way we’re going to win the league or at least even come close, so I’m not stressed about it.  Well not as stressed about it.

When we finished second I couldn’t even enjoy the season, every game was a heart attack.

If I was a Sporting fan, this would’ve ruined my day, hell it probably would’ve ruined my month.

This game was a lock permitted they didn’t completely screw it up. That’s probably an understatement.  

They go into the game 3-1, a solid lead.  Right away, they come out shaky and Istanbul almost scores on a crossed in header within the 7th minute.  It was one of those shots that looked like it had to have gone in your mind just misunderstood what happened, that’s how close it was.

Then in the 31st minute, Skrtel nods a surprisingly solid header from a poor clearance through the goalie’s legs.  Embarrassing to say the least.

Sporting almost made it even in the 39th minute with some crafty moves and a shot on goal, but the keeper was able to get low and make the save.

Then in the 45th minute, Aleksic curls in a beautiful shot far post side netting to make the game 2-0, 3-3 on aggregate. It was a sick goal. I followed the ball past the goal because I really didn’t think it was going to go in. 

If you watch the replay you’ll see Aleksic approach the ball as if he is aiming near post and completely throws off the keeper. 

Veteran move.

In the 56th minute, Istanbul almost makes it 3-0 with a bit of pong back and forth between the goalie and the forward, former Chelsea skipper Demba Ba.  

Then in the 68th minute, Luciano Vietto scores on a header from a cross to make it 2-1 Istanbul, 3-4 on aggregate. At this point, it’s late in the game and you’d think Sporting would regain momentum and lock up the match.

But nope.

In the end of the 91st minute, with only 3 minutes of extra time to play, Edin Visca makes a move on the defender and ropes one far post side netting to tie up the game 4-4.  And because it was 3-1 both games, both teams had equal away goals, so this tie was as equal as it gets.

And it gets even crazier! 

Robinho crosses the ball into the box in the 117th minute and the defender makes a poor clearance.  Junior Caicara makes a play on the ball and gets fouled in the box.

Penalty.  The announcer makes it very clear it was a penalty.  Don’t games just sound better with Spanish speaking announcers?

Visca steps up to take the penalty and buries it top middle for the victory.

If this game doesn’t make a strong case to merge Champions League and Europe League I don’t know what does.